Interview: Bolivia mulls new law against street sexual harassment

Bolivian lawmakers are mulling a bill to penalize those who sexually harass women in the street, in a bid to curb gender violence.

The bill would make it a crime to make physical contact or catcalls, or flash or masturbate in public, among other types of obscene and aggressive behavior, and impose fines of around 70 U.S. dollars and/or eight hours in jail.

Should the bill pass, Bolivia would join only a handful of countries that have similar laws.

The bill aims to prevent "an invisible, symbolic violence against women," Deputy Shirley Franco, a member of the opposition Democratic Unity (UN) party and one of the proponents of the initiative, told Xinhua in an interview.

"We know that street harassment is the first step towards violence against women, which is punishable by law," said Franco, adding the law would encourage victims to speak up and denounce such behavior.

According to Franco, such laws are already on the books in Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, though how well they are enforced is another question.

The proposed bill was drafted with the help of Bolivia's Anti-Street Harassment Watch (OCAC), an organization of women activists which has recorded some 372 complaints from 2015 to date. Most of the perpetrators are construction workers and those who drive trucks or other vehicles for a living, the OCAC says.

While men and young boys can also fall victim to this type of sexual harassment, surveys show that women and young girls are the main targets, said Franco.

Awareness campaigns carried out in Bolivia in 2014 and 2015 "have collected 17,000 testaments from women who have experienced this type of sexual harassment in the street, as well as the support of men for the campaign," she added.

The bill basically states that whoever commits public sexual harassment that "consists of staring, obscene gestures, offensive remarks, sexual verbal comments that allude to the body or to having sex (and) which humiliate the victim, will be fined 525 bolivianos (75.4 dollars) and arrested for eight hours."

The penalty increases for violations such as videotaping a woman without her consent, intimidation or stalking, which can be punished with a fine of 121 dollars.

Franco said she expected lawmakers to unanimously back the bill. Enditem